Wilson scores 30 points as Wisconsin tops Indiana 79-71

Wisconsin's Rob Wilson is mobbed by teammates including late in the second half of their 79-71 win over Indiana. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Tribune Photo)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Wikipedia has more than 30 entries for people named Rob/Robert Wilson, including a Canadian rap artist who goes by "Fresh I.E."

And yet it was Wisconsin's Rob Wilson who trended on Twitter late Friday afternoon.

Scoring 30 points -- 17 more than his career high and 27 past his season average -- in a Big Ten tournament game will do that for a player.

Even Wilson's explanation for his lights-out performance was unusual.

"The weight of the ball felt like it was going in," he said after Wisconsin's 79-71 quarterfinal victory over Indiana. "I don't remember that feeling in a long time."

Hoosiers coach Tom Crean said he warned his players Wilson had improved of late, "but to shoot like he did ? he was fully accounted for, but it didn't look that way."

Wilson came off the bench to drain 7 of 10 3-pointers -- and 11 of 16 overall. He entered Friday as a career 27.8 percent shooter from deep.

But 100 percent of his teammates -- OK, at least the ones interviewed -- knew he was capable.

Why? Because they saw him light it up in "open gym" time.

"Rob's a scorer," point guard Jordan Taylor said. "He can put it in the hole. I'm so happy for him, I almost feel like I had 30."

Wilson, a 6-foot-4 senior from Cleveland, came through when Wisconsin needed him. After Indiana cut the Badgers' lead to 42-41, Wilson drained back-to-back triples.

"People mature at different stages," said coach Bo Ryan, who surpassed Bud Foster's school record for victories (1934-59) with his 266th. "Things click at different stages. I'm just glad that this is his stage.

"I've known some guys who got lucky for one night, but that wasn't luck. Hopefully he has a lot more in him."

Fourth-seeded Wisconsin (24-8) advances to Saturday's semifinals to take on top seed Michigan State at 12:40 p.m.

Meanwhile, Indiana (25-8) could get a No. 4 or No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament.